Norbert Schemansky

(Conti~ued Irom Pilge- 45 ) that he was probably the lightest heavyshyweight on the platform

His Style Spe~d and freedom of moveshyment were even in those days quite remarkshyable In fact EI Saied Nosseir the famous Egyptian trainer was so impressed with him that he said to me I would like Schemansky to be in my Teilm-I wish thilt he uere iln Egyptiiln This was high praise indeed for EI Saied has produced some of the fastest and most stylish lifters in the world and beshysides being a most experienced person-was himself a former Heavyweight World Chamshypion and holder of Records in years gone by

I myself have been associated with the Iron Game for nearly thirty years and I was most impressed by Norberts 1948 performshyance It seemed to be the beginning of a great w-I career barring accidents and since then I have studied his various National and Inshyternational appearances with the greatest posshysible interest

His Fast clean-cut fluid style fascinated me and he seemed to be developing greater and greater muscular Power all the time whereby his technique might be exploited with full effect

When Heavyweight contests are in progress the onlooker invariably sees some vety big men on the rlatform They are not all neilt and powe-rlu 01 physique like Davis and Schemansky Some of the continental heavyshywts weigh anything up to 280 Ibs and their movements are somewhat ponderous Power they possess in plenty-but Speed and Style are all too often conspicuous by their absence

But in these respects Schemansky is a phenomenal athlete for he has three attributes which when combined go to mllke the PERshyFECT Lifter and bearing these things in mind I prepared to watch his athletic career unfold with the most pleasurable anticipation

His appearance is quite arresting really for he is taller than most competitors being

511 He carries no superfluous tissue and owns a very trim and hard waist-line He is fair-haired bespectacled with a high sloping forehead His movements are sudden someshytimes and those long rangy legs seem to be full of Power and Energy

Although as I have already stated his physique displays all-round development his THIGHS ate easily the most outstilnding part of him They are literally packed with lean sinewy muscle and tendon all the way and the thews appear to be unusually thick and powerful at the point of insertion just above the knee joint

These limbs just ooze Speed and Power typified by the easy manner in which he reshycovers from a really Deep Split Snatch of 310 Ibs or a 390 lb Clean And only when one has had the opportunity of seeing these things take place repeatedly does the onlooker finally realize the immense reserves of whiplike strength possessed by this athlete

His personality is somewhat unusual acshycording to my observations I would describe him as a lively customer-in a quiet way and not without a sense of humour at times

His power of concenWation is very inteme when going into action on an international platform and dealing with record poundages and there can be no doubt at all that this INT ENSITY of purpose helps him tremenshydously in working up to a climax for his final objective

At such times he is a fascinating-study for

expert and laymen alike--and an object lesson to other lifters present

At Milan in 1951 it so happened that Norb failed with his first attempt Snatch of 280 Ibs in the newly-created Medium hvy-wt division

Before taking the same poundage once again he spent the time almost completely enveloped in a huge blanket whilst he conshycelltrated upon the task before him When he was ready the blanket was thrown off those long powerful legs propelled him forward and he ripped the bar aloft to score a perfect lift This was followed three minutes later by another magnificent success with 292 Ibs The same evening he recorded three sucshycessful Clean amp Jerks with 352-363-374 Ibs -the lase poundage being a new World Recshyord Nor content with this he asked for 385 Ibs for an exua attempt outside the chamshypionships His first try with this weight was a failure to Clean by a narrow margin so once more the blilnket was brought out ilfld once more he spent a few mi1mtes of precrous meditation and mentill concentrashytron This time he made a magnificent sucshycess and he received a wonderful ovation from an appreciative audience

His total was 942 Ibs that year and he weighed-in at exactly 198 Ibs 7 Ibs lighter than when he lifted in London in 1948

This fact was interesting because it proved beyond doubt that he was developing into a greater state of bodily efficiency and I began to wonder what would be in store for us at Finland the following year

When the Finnish Olympiad took place it was obvious from some of the training sesshysions I witnessed beforehand thilt this great America11 lifter WilS going to be in the fMm of his lile for the big event

When somewhat overweight a few days earlier he had made a training Press of 300 Ibs a Snatch of 310 Ibs and a Clean amp Jerk of about 395 Ibs we were told

Some idea of this lifters amazing Speed Timing Style and Muscular Power may be guaged when I tell you that I saw him Clean 360 Ibs to the shoulders one day--without movi1lg his feet a tremendous achievement

When the great day eventually arrived Norbert Schemansky made new weight-lifting History by creating three amazing World Records

Weighing-in at a nicely judged 198 Ibs he Pressed 280 Ibs and went right through to Snatch 308 Ibs for a new Olympic and World Record

The final Clean amp Jerk saw him rip 390 Ibs overhead in a way that made the audience roar with delight He afterwards made a very creditable effort to hoist 402 Ibs-but failed to complete the Clean

His 390 Ib Jerk and 979Y2 lb Total were both Olympic and World Records and I think it is quite safe to say that never has there been a lifter in the heavier class-weight divisions who could compare with him for dazzling speed and perfection of weight-liftshy

ing style It was a vafuable education just to -watch this astonishing lifter and I have the strong impression that he will Clean amp Jerk 402 Ibs and record a 1000 Total in this Class before he is finished

FUTURE POSSIBILITIES Norbens natural body-weight varies beshy

tween 212 and 217 Ibs and we must bear in mind that he may not always be content to reduce to the Medium 198 lb limit as time goes on In fact it is more than likely that he may try to improve upon the Heavyweight Snatch and Total records both of which stand in the name of John Davis at the time of writing this article These levels will not

be easy to exceed by any means but Schemanshysky is a most amazingly scientific lifter and he possesses a blinding tu rn of speed for a big man as well as having the backing of

tremel)dous Tendon Strength He has colosshysal pulling power and is the fortunate posshysessor of a pronounced elbow lock

With so many attributes in his favor the formidable task of exceeding the Record 1063 lb Total becomes at least a possibi lity should he decide to stay in the Heavy-we ranks for any length of time and we should face this fact

Already at 212 Ibs body-weight this man has Pressed and Snatched 310 Ibs and we have th~ competent opinion of none other than John Davis that these poundages do not represent Schemanskys true abil ity by any means

For the benefit of students who like myself are interested in comparative body-weight possibilities it might nOt be out of place just here to point out that a Press of 319 Ibs middot a Snatch of 330 Ibs and a Clean amp Jerk of 420 Ibs would be sufficient to create a newall-time Record Heavy-wt Total

Obviously if a lifter has found it possible to Snatch 308 Ibs when weighing around the 198 lb mark the task of performing a 330 lb Snatch does not present jmPossible obstacles when a 15 or 20 lb itlcrease in body-weight with its additional 11tllsculzr adshyvantages is iIllowed for

I have been told from three sources that Schemanskys 412l--2 lb Clean amp Jerk was a most perfectlift the inference thereshy

fore is that 420 or even 425 Ibs might be possible in the near future especially if a little more bod-wt were availilhle

I am told that Norbert is a marr ied man with a family like many other w-I Chamshypions and this year he will be 29 years of age He has to earn a living like the rest of us and it is a great reibute to his character and will-power that he has persevered and triumphed with his reaining despite the Setshybacks and discouragements which are the common lor of the worker in his daily batrle for life in this Cock-eyed old W orld

I do not know how often he uains each week but from what I have seen of himshyhe certainly trains very hard when in the gymnasium He also appears to ell1o) this conditioning work and that is imporlatll He does not spare himself when purring the linal touches to a World Championship preparashytion and here again I noticed that much of his lifting was characterized by c01lSiderabie menIal intensity and drive during training

1 must say that I gready admire the inspirshying team-work which is always so much in evidence wherever the Americans happen to be

It a lift happens to go wrong everyshyone gathers round prepared to help with suggestions criticisms or in any way possible middot and this spirit is good to see for it gets things done helps to solve problems and prov ides inspiration

In spite of this strict attention to business when training is under-way one or twO laughs are usually provided Some idea of the atshymosphere that prevails at this places may be gleaned from an incident which occurred at Milan in 1951

It was known that the Russian Team were in training at Vienna about 200 miles away middot and everyone fervently hoped they would participate in the Championships their arrival was anticipated hourly

During a reaining Session which was crowded with spectators the door was shaken vigorously by someone seeking admittance When the portal was opened two venershyable old gentlemen made their entry )ne was leaning heavily on a crutch the other

58

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glove Thi fa ct makes his clean with the ApoUon W heels a feat even more outstandshying than Rigoulo(middots Even more remarkable is rhe way in which Johnny cleaned the bar He used a reverse grip II grip similar to that used when dead lifting heavy poundshyages At the height of the pull and epth of split he let 10 the bar alt caught 11 t1l the reular positIon T his is a gr~( feat of hand strength and I rake my hat off to John

My hands are much larger than either Rigulots or Johnnymiddots and I see no reason wby I cannOt use the regular grip in cleanshying the Wheels I seem to have a gift for h()istin~ thick handled barbells and dumbshybells I emiddotnjOy lifting thick shafted bars The first lime I tried I lifted the famous LOllis eyr dumbbell with my right hand Thjs lumbbell weighs approximatelv tWO hu ndred and thirty-five pounds and has a sllaft as thick as the ApoJ)on Wheels

NQw with reganl to pressing the Wheels after I have cleaned them (hat is if I succeed in cleani ng middot them This phase of the lift presents not the slightest difficulty for me I can press four hundred pounds from sq~at racks and have push pressed 450 I have pressed 365 pounds more times than I Ca n rend I in O ly mpic Style a far more ngld style than a push-press

BecaUSe of the rigidity of the Wheels due to rhe la rge diameter of the shaft I will probably have to press th~ weight in loose st)le Every lifter knows that an ltlympI~ Bar posse ses a certain amount of sprlllg or whip Th is is in direq propornon to the amount of weight on the bar The more weight the greater the whip You have aU heard Olympic Lifters ref~r to a bar as being dead meaning that It has little or no spring which in turn makes the bar that much more difficult to_handle

This is so in the case of the Apolloll Wheels which are just so much dead weight T hree hundred and sixty-five pounds of dead weight at the shoulders is the equivashylent of four hundred pounds on a good spr ingy Olympic bar

How do I ~ntend to train for cleani~g and pressing the Apollon Wheels By uSIng all types of forearm movements and cleaning As 1 said the press section of the lift preshysents no difficulties It is holding the bar durshyin~ the clean and the clean itself that WIll deermine success or failure for me One exshyercise Ill use is holding as heavy ~ bar as poss ible in the hands in the dead l~ft fimsh position until I am forced to ~ut It don I ll deliberately use thick bars 10 my ralOshying I got quite an idea from yo~r recent hand and forearm specialization article One hand dead lifts should also prove useful in addi tion to cleans from the hang But the main thing is I can and I will clean and press the Apollon Wheels gi~en the opporshytunity and if readers of American Manhood Muscl~ Power and Muscl~ Builder will bear with me I will prove my word is my

bond EDITORS NOTE We have already ~pshyproached Professor Edmund Desbonnett WIth regard to securing a loan of th~ A~~lon Wheels If Monsieur Desbonnett IS WIllIng the world Famous strength relic will be brought from France to America and Doug will be able to train with it middotAt some future date if present plans materialize we intend to hold a gigantic Strength display at which Doug can prove to the world he can clean and press the ApoJoft WheeI

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